Amandla’s blog

Is it when I decide to drink? Is it when I decide to dress up? Or how about when I’m simply mind my own business, not looking for any trouble? The correct answer is none of the above because as a person I have rights. As a woman, I have rights. I have the right not to be violated and I have the right to tell someone when I think they are being inappropriate. Being touched and looked at in a way that makes me feel like I’m doing something to attract the sort of attention I had received isn’t what I should have to deal with. After saying “stop” and “please, don’t touch me” more then twice, lord, everyone knows more then once without a backhand across the face is getting off too light. How can someone not get the message that their touches, looks and comments are unwanted after clear and repetitive instructions to stop? How does one standby and act as if nothing is happening? Ignoring that the woman is in distress; ignoring that she feels uncomfortable. It is incidents like these not being taken seriously that leads up to something potentially dangerous. I had the misfortune of feeling threatened, as if my situation could potentially worsen; in front of four other people I was told I would have been raped if he felt like it a few nights prior. Should I have taken it serious? Well with my weekend extravaganza of wild events, maybe not. However, the things he said earlier and his actions taken into account, I believe there was a good reason to worry. To place it in his words, “I would have (fucked you) that night if only I wouldn’t leave scratches and bruises,” with the only thing stopping him, god only knows. The person I was invited by, I was not even sure they would be on my side. I have only known him for a year and the man who threatened me, he has at least known for two years. My inviter later tells me his friend is all talk, no action and I shouldn’t worry. Reassurance. I would have like to see more direct reassurance through standing up for me when the unwanted comments were spoken. Maybe he did talk to my oppressor, but I would never know for sure. Maybe he did not think it was a big deal or maybe he was too drunk to notice how escalated my situation was getting. Maybe he liked the idea, the idea of me getting fucked involuntarily by a stranger, getting beat around, being verbally and sexually harassed. I will never know till I ask, but then again do I want to necessarily insult him by asking if they are true. Well I need my answers and he needs to confirm or deny my fears. If he confirms them, then I guess this is where we’ll say goodbye and if the opposite I guess we can continue where we left off. However, we must keep in mind, I am not his girlfriend but only a female friend, but I believe I’m still subjected to protection when it becomes evident that it is needed. I place trust in him to treat me right and trust him to watch over me like any other friend would do. That day I only felt partially reassured.

     So I'm going to start my blog off with a pissed off mood, due to the fact my friend believes that some how I don't seem to acquire knowledge in this university-educated brain of mine and therefore I cannot understand the reason why she believes it's the right thing to boycott any Palestinian functions or people simply because of who they are in and what they stand for in connection to "her country".
     Let's get one thing straight, she's a born Canadian with only parental roots in Lebanon. She decided that even though the Palestinians in Canada are not directly involved they still some how are as they send money and support there family over seas with money and financial aid, which she says (and some may be) using it to bomb and attack her country.
     BUT wait, I just don't get how this justifies ignoring the existence and efforts of another set of people. We all are one and behaviours like this just adds more divisions then it helps to unite (especially in times like this). This crazy divisons of "OMFG you just killed my people. " should really be revised as we should consider everyone to be "our people" and put a more universal effort to help and support each other instead supporting a new model of segregation.

Amandlaand cait